We are on our final leg for home. We left Beatty Nevada bound for the Lake Isabella/Kern River KOA in Weldon CA at 8:00am, but first things first. We needed propane. We learned our lesson and thought it best to fill our propane tank at two lights. Done. Walt noticed that his left rear tire on his trailer was low. We stopped at a "Pay for Air" station and filled the tires that needed air. Done. We topped off our gas and we were ready to hit the road.

We decided to "go low" and miss the potential weather issues going over the passes in the Sierras. The route we chose took us back through Death Valley National Park via 190 West. We were glad we went this way, because we saw the dunes. The morning light really emphasized the ridges. It was a great photo opportunity. The next turn took us on the Trona Wildrose Road. The road was being resurfaced in one section for about 12 miles. So we were traveling on a makeshift dirt road that paralleled the actual road. After that, the road was great. We were the only ones on it most of the time.

Trona is not a destination town. It did have a few services and Walt topped off his diesel and checked his tires. The left rear tire that he was concerned about appeared to be fine. I took over driving the rest of the way to the KOA park.

We continued on our way. The Trona Road wound up and down and through the hills. Walt was a ways in front of us, but always within sight. I started to smell burnt rubber periodically, but didn't see anything amiss on our rig or Testie's left rear tire. There were shreds of rubber on the road that one would normally see on roads. The smell eventually subsided.

We arrived at the Lake Isabella/Kern River KOA around 1pm. It looked like we were going to be the only rigs in the park for the evening. We received our site assignments. We wanted to make sure we could get satellite coverage so we went first. Then, Walt and Barb began to come about when they suddenly stopped. We watched them both get out and walk around Testie. Barb came by us on the way to the office and said, "You better get your camera. You will want to see this." Bob and I walked over with cameras in hand. OMG. The right rear tire on Testie was completely shredded. Only the rim remained with a hint of tire hanging on. Luckily, there was a tire shop about a mile down the road. Walt and Barb took Testie in. John, the mechanic, was able to change the tire and mount the spare. To play it safe, Walt ordered 4 new tires to be delivered the following morning. Walt and Barb returned to camp with Testie sporting a racy looking spare.

After a bite to eat, we piled in the Beast for a drive around the area. Lake Isabella was about 10 miles down the road. Not much to it. To the west of us, there was evidence of a recent devastating fire. The charred area went on for miles. Come to find out that there was a major fire on June 24, 2016 that wiped out a whole town in addition 50 to 60 homes were destroyed. According to an internet article, this fire was the worst ever in Kern County. However, the resiliency of the human spirit was also evident. Business as usual was evident…life goes on.

Before dinner, we walked to the little bar that was attached to the KOA office for a drink and to play cards before dinner. We must have been there during Happy Hour, because the wine pours were up to the brim of the glasses. Bob was buying dinner. It was too cold and windy to eat outside. The owner of the KOA recommended a small Mexican restaurant, El Porta, that was just down the street. After a couple of passes, we finally found it. I understand the food was good. I didn't have anything. I had way too much wine. After dinner, we drove back and that is all I remember. I am sure I will have a headache tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Testie gets new wheels and we head for the Sequoia RV Ranch in Three Rivers, CA. This will be our last stop on our "Low Road" Adventure before the final leg home. Fun times.